Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1887-10-16
A MURDER MYSTERY.
"REMINISCENCES OF A CRIME.
A Cause Cslsbre Of Thirty-fVe Years Ago Re-
called by Recent Events.
STORY OF A MIDNIGHT "GHOST.'
Interesting Reading for People in the Vicinity
Of New Marinsville.

The death of Leban Mercer, farmer who
for many years has been a resident OF
Peasants county, his demise occurring
about ten days ago, has had the effect OF
reviviDg in a very decided manner, local
interest in a most horrible and unprovoked
murder, which, some thirty five years ago,
produced tremendous sensation all along
the upper Ohio Valley, from Wheeling to
Parkersburg, distance of nearly one hun
dred miles. There is very good grounds
for the belief that upon his death-bed,
Mercer confessed to having committed the
murder to which reference has above been
made, and in so doing he has but verified
suspicion which has filled the minds OF
those who were at all conversant with the
facts of the tragedy. The crime was COM
mitted in Wetzel county, and the victim
was John Gamble, prosperous citizen,
who resided with his family few miles
from the town of New Martinsville, then
as now the county seat. Gamble was OF
speculative turn of mind, and frequently
visited New Martinsville to dispose of live
stock, or whatever else he had to realize
upon. At such times, after finding a
customer, Gamble would have several hun
bred dollars in his possession, and there
were frequent predictions, from the care
less manner in which he displayed his
money when under the influence Of liquor,
that some day there would be tragedy
and that he would be the victim. This
prediction was realized, and most peculiar
and mysterious murder it was. The crime
created the utmost horror among the peO-
pie living along the river, and q sensation
of unparalleled dimensions ensued, the ex
citement being intensified by the peculiar
after circumstances connected with it, they
leading up to the arrest of Mercer, his trial
and acquittal, and including the social
ostracism to which he was ever afterwards
subjected. The history of this cause ceLebrc,
as it is now recolleCte6 by some of the
actors in it, is as follows:
One day late in the summer of 1853
Gamble, who lived on the river shore al
most directly opposite the little town of
Sardis, came up to New Martinsyille with
skiff, intending to buy some cider bar
rels, and then go to Cochrausvlle and pay
debt. He had about 5000 in his
possession. Mercer was in town that
day, and the two men, being well known
to each other, soon got to drinking to.
gether. Towards dark, Gamble concluded
that he would start for home, and as
MERGERS route also lay along the river for
a mile or So before he turned off to 90 up
through the hills, he told Gamble he would
accompany him thus far on his journey.
The two men took one more drink together,
and then started OF down the river in the
skiff, Gamble being more under the inllu-
ence of liquor than his companion. Gamble
was never seen alive afterwards. He not ar
irving at his home that night, his family
and friends the next day caused an eX-
tended search TO be made, but all TO no
purpose No trace of the mis-, ing man
could he found Mercer was questioned,
but he insisted that he LETT his companion
ut the point their paths diyerged, and that
he had no knowledge whatever of his fate.
Mercer said that when he met the missing
mar in town, Gamble had told him about
some of his financial transactions. One Of
these rel ted to note, which a farmer
named Whiteman had given him rs evil
dence of debt. Mercer said he told Gam
BILE that Whiteman had traded note of
3 a r,,N11 20 &c LODI 20
little misunderstanding between the two
To settle their differences, they concluded
to 90 and see Whiteman, and when they
left town in the skiff it was with the in
tention of stopping about mile down the
river, where a road led to Whiteman's |
house. After the visit TO Whiteman, IN
the course of which the note transaction |
was cleared up, and just as the two men
again reached the river shore where |
they had left their boat, they were
Joined by two hired men who worked for a |
farmer named John Travis. Mercer and |
Gamble told these men about the trouble
they had had about the note, and then all |
separated, the two young men going up |
the river towards New Martinsville, Gam
BILE embarking alone in his boat for home,
W0llS MERCER nave started 10
90 on foot to his own farm.
Thus matters rested until the second |
day after the murder, when the skiff be-
longing to the missing man was found stuck |
against the end of raft, about mile |
down the river from the place where the |
conference of the night before had been |
held, and in it was piece of shirt
sleeve worn by Gamble. There was no
trace Of the body, however: and thus
matters rested until the following spring,
when the body of the missing man was
found lodged against some rocks, in the
channel of the river, twenty miles or more
below the point where Mercer claimed to
have left him. No one could account for
his death, and it was urged by some
that being intoxicated, he had simply
fallen ont of the skin, and that
death by drowning had resulted
Others, however, insisted that crime had
been committed, baSing their claim mainly
upon the fact that the remains were
partially disrobed and had been stripped
of everything of value.
Thus matters went on for two or three
months when events of a rather unusual
ard sensational nature transpired. After
the custom of the county, there was great
corn-husEing bee given, about the first of
November, at the barn Of Tom Young, 3
few miles from New Msrtinsville, and
the boys and girls from ali the sur
rounding farms were there, together
with not few of older years. Among
Others, crowd of fifteen or twenty young
men went out from New Martinsville, and
after night spent in mingled work, kiss
ing and cider drinking, the town boys
started to return home. The party kept
together until they came to the brow of
the immense hill which bounds the town
on the east, where halt was called. The
hillside was very steep, and as there were
two two paths leading down to the river
bottom, one direct but difficult and
dangerous, and the other, while little
longer, comparatively easy, dispute arose
as to which should be taken. The dispute
waxed warm, and finally the party
separated into two rival factions, each
agreeing to take one Of the routes, and a